RAMAH.(RAMOTH) OF THE SOUTH

Near it are some remarkable ancient monuments, Isnown locally as 'The Graves of the Children of Israel,' which possibly are the 'tomb of Rachel' of the ancient tradition. This town was probably the home of Shimei, the Ramathite, David's vine-dresser (1 Ch 27"). 4. A place in the district called Ramathaim-zophim (1 SI'), a (corrupt) name prob. ='the two heights of the Zuphites.' The latter ethnic can hardly be dissociated from the name of the great high place of Blizpali {Neby SamviU). Its chief distinction is its connexion with Samuel. It was 'in the hill-country of Ephraim," but might have been over the S. border of the tribe. Here Elkanah lived, and here was the headquarters of Samuel throughout his life (1 S 1" 2" 7" 8' 15" 16i» igi'-^s 20' 25' 28'). This is probably the Ramah fortified by Baasha against the Judahite kingdom (1 K 15", 2 Ch 16'), rather than the Benjamite Ramah: the latter being actually within Judahite territory would not have been accessible to him. This Ramah appears also in 1 Mac 1 13« as Ramathaim . No satisfactory identification of the Ephraimite Ramah has yet been proposed. It may be identical with No. 3. Ram-allah, a large village about 12 miles N. of Jerusalem, would fairly well suit the requirements of the history, but there are no definite indications of antiquities there. 5. By the name Ramah allusion is made to Ramoth-gilead (wh. see) in 2 K 8" and the parallel passage 2 Ch 22'. 6. Ramath-lehi, the scene of Samson's victory over the Philistines with the jawbone (Jg 15"), is unknown. See Lehi. Ramath here is probably a common noun, and we ought to render it "the height of Lehi.' 7. Ramath-mizpeh (Jos IS^®). See Mizpah, No. 4. 8. Ramah (or Ramoth) of the South (Jos 198). a town in the tribe of Judah, given to Simeon; to which David sent the spoil of Ziklag (1 S 30^'). It is quite unknown.

R. A. S. Macalister.

RAMAH (RAMOTH) OF THE SOUTH.-See Ramah, No. 8.

RAMATHAIM, RAMATHAIM - ZOFHIM.— See

Ramah, 4.

RAMATHITE.— See Ramah, No. 3.

RAMATH -LEHI .—See Ramah, No. 6.

RAMATH-MIZPEH.— See Mizpah, No. 4.

RAMESES. — See Raamses.

RAMIAH. — One of the sons of Parosh who had married a foreign wife (Ezr lO^* [1 Es 92» Hiermas]).

RAMOTH. — 1. A Gershonite Levitical cityinlssachar (1 Ch 6=8 (")), apparently =Remeth of Jos 19^' and Jarmuth of Jos 21^'. 2. For 'Ramoth of the south' see Ramah, No. 8. 3. For 'Ramoth in Gilead' (Dt 4", Jos 20* 21", 1 Ch 6«5 (88)) see Ramoth-Gilbad.

RAMOTH-GILEAD, or 'Ramoth in Gilead' (cf. Ramah, 5), was one of the cities of refuge (Dt 4", Jos 20*), assigned to the Merarite Levites of Gad (Jos 21^8^ 1 Ch 68»). It was in the administrative district of Solo-mon's lieutenant Ben-geber (1 K 4''); the scene of Ahab's last fight with the Syrians (1 K 22, 2 Ch 18) and of another battle with them fought by Ahab's son Jehoram, where he was wounded (2 K S'e- 2', 2 Ch 220; the place where Elisha's messenger anointed Jehu (2 K 9'"). That it was a place of some sanctity is probable from Its name ('the high places of Gilead'), and arguments, not altogether conclusive, have been offered in favour of its identification with Mizpeh, the place of the recon-ciliation of Jacob and Laban.

The attempt has plausibly been made to identify it with Gerasa, the modern Jerash — an extensive town in the ancient territory of Gilead, of unknown origin, whose ruins are still among the most striking east of the Jordan. For this identification several forcible arguments can be brought forward. An identification with another place, Reimun, rests solely on the super-

RAZOR

flcial similarity of the name, which is always an unsafe guide. Es-Salt is another suggestion. On the whole, however, Jerash is perhaps the most probable, though final decision must, as usual, be left to the test of excavation. R. A. S. Macalister.

RAMPART. — See Fortification and Siegecbaft, 3.

RANGES in AV of 2 K lis- u 2 Ch 23" ='ranks '(RV).

RANSOM. — See Redeemer, Redemption.

RAPE. — See Crimes and Punishments, 3.

RAPHA.— 1. A Benjamite (ICh 82). 2.SeeREPHAiM.

RAPHAEL ('God has healed') is the good angel of Tobit. In 3" he is sent to heal Tobit, by restoring his sight; to give Sarah, daughter of his kinsman Raguel, to his son Tobias for wife; and to prevent the demon Asmodaeus from adding him to the seven husbands he has already killed. In 5^' he appears as ' brother Azarias ' to accompany Tobias on his journey to Media. Tobit despatches them with the parting 'May [God's] angel go with you' (v.'s, cf. v."), and they start with their dog (a favourite subject with the great painters). In 68^- he directs Tobias to take the heart, liver, and gall of a fish, manages the marriage, binds the demon, fetches money from Rages, and heals Tobit. l2'2-2" gives his description of himself, a passage which probably became the groundwork of later speculations. (1) He is one of the seven 'angels of the presence' (Lk 1", Rev 8* [1«?], Enoch 90). So in Enoch 20' he is one of the 'watchers,' the 'angel of the spirits of men.' The conception is usually traced to Persian influence; cf. the seven ' princes of light ' of Zoroastrianism. (2) He is an intermediary, bringing the memorial of prayers before God (Rev 8'). The doctrine of the Divine aloofness made it hard to conceive that man could have direct access to the ear of God, any more than a subject could enter into the presence of an Oriental monarch, or that He could interfere directly in the petty affairs of men. See Angels. (3) He is also a guardian angel, being present at Tobit's good deeds, and the companion of Tobias. The long-maintained disguise is a unique feature; the 'eating and drinking" is explained as an illusion (12"). (4) He is true to his name, 'the healer'; cf. Enoch 10', where he is ordered to bind Azazel (so 54), and heal the earth which the angels have defiled; and 40', where he is 'set over the diseases and wounds of the children of men.' (5) In Enoch 22 he is a guide in Sbeol; in 32, in Paradise.

C. W. Emmet.

RAPHAH.— See Rephaiah, 4.

RAPHAIM.— An ancestor of Judith (Jth 8').

RAPHON. — A city of Bashan (1 Mac 5"), the Raphana of Pliny (.HN, v. 16); the site has not been recovered.

RAPHU.— The father of the Benjamite spy (Nu 13').

RASSES.— A people subdued by Holofemes (Jth 228).

RATHUMUS.— See Rehum, 2.

RAVEN CSrSb, Arab, ghurab). — An 'unclean' bird (Lv 11", Dt 14"), numbers of which may always be seen gathered, together with the dogs, around the carrion thrown out into the valley of Hinnom (cf . Pr 30") . Its glossy plumage is referred to in Ca 5"; it often dwells in the wilderness (Is 34"), and yet God cares for and watches over it (Job 38«, Ps 147', Lk 122*). The name 'Irreb is doubtless generic, and includes all the eight species of the Corvidw known in Palestine.

E. W. G. Masterman.

RAVIN. — The vb. 'to raven,' i.e. prey upon, and the subst. 'raven' or 'ravin,' i.e. prey, both occur in AV. We find also the adj. 'ravening' (Ps 22'8, Mt 7") as well as the form 'ravenous' (Is 35' 46", Ezk 39*). 'Raven-ing' is used as a subst. in Lk 118' 'Your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness' (RV 'extortion').

RAZIS. — The hero of a narrative in 2 Mac 148™-.

RAZOR. — See Hair and Knife.

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